Mikeyswood - BUYER BEWARE

[Musiclogic]

I just hope all gets worked out. Alex is a good guy, and it would suck to see him get raked over the coals. 2 years is a long time for 1 build.

 

[jaycemade]

Wow... Us Aussies are little to nice i think..

Maybe he should give up on the luthery and focus on his chemistry..

I recently ordered a Nitro finished Strat body form a US builder. I told him what i wanted, he said it can be done. He did it, sent me pictures, i ok'd it. Then he sent it.

Two weeks later body arrived, wrapped in some kind of paper. It had stuck to body in certain places. I told him i wasnt happy, he understood. He suggested some things i could do, i steel wooled' the body but it had chipped back to wood. (i know how to refin a guitar, i have plenty of paint experience but not with nitro) Body sent back and he is painting me a new one.

His email said 'I'm very sorry that this happened. My main concern is that you are happy with the transaction'
'I will begin working on your replacement body tomorrow.
Thanks for your patience'

Thats how you handle ****.

 

[One Drop]

Wow, good luck getting some satisfaction, this guy sounds like he's all over the shop, blowing smoke.

If I could offer one piece of advice to you, it would be to refrain from insulting him in any way and just stick to the facts in your communications with him. keep on insisting he answer your direct questions, and refuse to accept any excuses and irrelevant arguments. You will have a better case to defend if it becomes a legal matter, etc.

It's infuriating dealing with people who have that level of arrogance and cannot see past it to actually answer a few simple questions.

 

[purfektstranger]

No personal attacks here but your builder sounds like he has been sniffing at the Bunsen burners a little too long. The little I know about ordering a custom bass I will say this...you should have gotten a completion date in writing. This guy can pretty much dick around all he wants. You should have also gotten your specs set out on paper so there would be no misunderstanding. Sorry to be a pessimist but I don't see this situation ending on a positive note. I did get a good a good laugh thpugh when I read about how he has to carefully formulate his replies as to remain focused when answering your emotional email........ I'll stop now before I tell you what I really think because it really isn't going to be very nice. Good luck and as others have suggested, you may want to do the groundwork now for small claims so if push comes to shove you will know what to do.

 

[Alex Xander]

I'll be asleep when the morning crowd logs on, so for the record, I have sent a friendly email asking for 15 minutes of facebook chat time to resolve this issue.

I will let you guys know how/if it goes down.

Thank you all for your support in this thread and via PM

 

[nukes_da_bass]

I've had builder troubles twice.

One built my go-to bass, Dave Certin. Dave builds the basses he says he will, really player friendly fender clones. Communication was horrible and for a stretch there I was worried as heck but in the end I did get about 90% of what I paid for, and to tell the truth it sounds and plays like a bass twice it's price.

My old friend Gary Emmons died before building my bass- and I didn't find out for almost 2 years after his death. I had given up on the build after 9 years and figured I had lost my money (I traded a 74 Rickenbacker factory fretless And a mandolin). I also had about $300 invested in materials.

I wish Gary was still around to argue with, he was a good friend despite a business deal gone bad.

 

[dremy2006]

SMH....gezzzzz. sry to hear this is going on....

****you are a better man than me, because I'll be on the 1st flight to the U.S.****

 

[Darkstrike]

Wow, awful, awful stuff.

Always thought he was a bad 'un, but never this bad.

 

[dremy2006]

...P.S. .... I don't think he'll be leaving slick comments on people's threads no more... lmbo like he got it all together..... sry just had to say this..

 

[Gorn]

My 2 cents: Even if he finished it and shipped it to you for free, would you really want it? I'd have a bad taste in my mouth every time I looked at it.

 

[Rickett Customs]

Communication is key, if not threads like this are created.

 

[darren1970]

I had a very similar experience many years ago and ended up almost 2 years later with a bass with a permanently 'soft' finish.

I needed it stripped and repainted. Shortly after that I got rid of it.

 

[CnB77]

Emails are legally binding? I'd love to know where he studied law

 

[jaycemade]

Maybe he sent it to 'Sims' to get painted?.....

 

[AuntieBeeb]

Emails are legally binding? I'd love to know where he studied law

Well, I think in the absence of any proper contracts, an email is at least "something in writing" - hardly ideal, but they'd have to make do with that if it went to court.

 

[Levin Hannaford]

after 2 years and $1500, I'd have flown to Cincy myself! hahaha


But on a serious note, I hope you two can at least meet in the middle, and that you get your bass

 

[Immigrant]

I'm playing Mikey's advocate.

I don't know Mikeyswood. Googled it and it wasn't in the first page of results. Mistake #1.

Dissatisfaction with communication and progress after one year and continued to wait. Mistake #2.

I'm sincerely sorry you seem to be getting the wrong end of the stick, but I feel like you walked into it. Why didn't you ask for whatever money back after initial communication problems? Maybe after the first financial hiccup (job lost, build on hold) he felt the last payment may be a long time coming? Maybe he's not as flexible as you'd like with headstock design deviations, etc, and you should've found someone who would do what you want when you want it done. His description of pricing is outrageous.

Did you ever ask for a refund or did I miss that when reading?

Either way, good luck. I hope you get your money back because I have a feeling if you ever get the bass, it won't be what you want.

 

[Hopkins]

Comparing himself to Alembic and using his price vs theirs is in pretty bad taste. He sets his own prices, and because it is cheaper than another company does not give him the right to neglect his customers. Turning aroud and asking the $9000 price difference between his bass and an Alembic to finish in a reasonable time frame really shows his character.

It sounds like he is trying to spin the situation in his favor by trying to talk you into thinking he is doing you some huge favor. So the fact that he has become a local politician makes sense.

 

[Hopkins]

I'm playing Mikey's advocate.

I don't know Mikeyswood. Googled it and it wasn't in the first page of results. Mistake #1.

I dont agree with this, there are several small builders who do great work and whos customers are extreemly satisfied.

 

[Immigrant]

I dont agree with this, there are several small builders who do great work and whos customers are extreemly satisfied.

Yes, there are. And not wanting to start an online argument, what don't you agree with? Was Mikeyswood in the first page of results when you Googled it?

When I ordered a custom from FBB Bassworks (I found here in the Luthier's forum), I researched the heck out of him and the company. I had no problem finding info and if I had, I either wouldn't bought from him or would've been more concerned about sending money. Especially if the builder was a half a world away. By the time my decision was made, FBB required 1/3 down and I was comfortable enough to pay half up front.

Also, if I was having the economic struggles the OP had and has, a custom would've been out of the question until I had the money in hand to spend.

I sincerely hope the OP gets what he wants.